10 Best Chat and Messaging Apps for Android

We all know that SMS is becoming a thing of the past for many smartphone owners worldwide. Sure, people still use it, but there’s a whole plethora of apps that go way beyond it, offering fast and easy multimedia functions, group chats, video calls, gaming, and a whole lot more besides. Beyond simply just being SMS alternatives, these apps are essentially ‘SMS+’. But with a lot of apps to choose from, it can be difficult to know exactly which one is best for you.

To help you make that choice, we’ve separated the wheat from the chaff and rounded up some of the best chat and messaging apps for you to use.

WeChat is a free messaging and calling app that lets you easily get in touch with family and friends across the world. It’s an all-in-one communications apps for free text (SMS/MMS), voice and video calls, moments, photo sharing, and games.

This Facebook app allows you to instantly reach the people in your life – completely free of charge! It’s just like texting, except that you no longer have to pay for every message you send. What’s more, it’s not just for Facebook friends, as you can also message people in your phonebook. Simply enter a phone number to add a new contact, and you’re all set!

Vlingo is an Android app that combines fast and accurate voice to text technology, with the intelligence to listen to what you say, and quickly connect you with people, businesses, and activities so you can easily get things done on the go.

Say hello to your friends, family, and colleagues with an instant message, voice or video on Skype for free! Join millions of other users today and stay in touch with the people who matter the most. There’s so much you can do, right from the palm of your hand!

WhatsApp is an Android messaging app that uses your 3G WiFi to keep in touch with your friends and family. Switch from SMS to WhatsApp to send and receive messages, photos, audio notes, and video messages. You can use WhatsApp for free for the first year, although you need to pay $0.99 the year after.

KakaoTalk is a fast and multifaceted messaging app that lets you send messages, photos, videos, voice notes, and your location for free. It makes chatting more fun, with a wide range of emoticons and sticker collections.